Four Titans Collect All-Region Track & Field Awards
Senior Isabella Samuels earned her fourth consecutive award in the shot put to lead UW-Oshkosh's five selections to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) 2019 NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region Women's Outdoor Track & Field Team.
Joining Samuels on the 120-member squad were UW-Oshkosh teammates Hannah Lohrenz in the 1,500-meter run, Alexandria Steger in the javelin and Lauren Wrensch in both the 400-meter run and long jump. Wrensch was also selected to the 2018 All-Midwest Region Team in the long jump.
A total of 964 all-region awards were distributed among the nation's eight NCAA Division III regions. The top five individuals and the top three relay squads in each event from each region earned all-region distinction. The Midwest Region had a sixth honoree this year in the high jump.
Samuels is seeded fourth in the shot for this weekend's (May 23-25) NCAA Division III Championship in Geneva, Ohio. She achieved her qualifying measurement with a season-best toss of 47-4 1/4 at the UW-Whitewater Rex Foster Twilight Invitational.
Samuels, who received all-region third team honors in helping the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team to a WIAC championship and a Division III postseason berth this past winter, finished 12th with a distance of 44-6 3/4 in the shot put at the 2017 Division III Championship and sixth with a toss of 46-8 at the 2018 meet. She placed second at this year's WIAC Championship with a measurement of 45-9.
Lohrenz, a freshman, ranks 49th nationally in the 1,500-meter run, and will serve as an alternate for the Titans in the 1,600-meter relay at this weekend's Division III Championship. Lohrenz finished third in the 1,500-meter run with a season-best time of 4:40.11 at the WIAC Championship.
Steger lists 29th in the country with her season-best javelin throw of 133-2 from the UW-Platteville Invitational. The junior finished third at the WIAC Championship with a measurement of 120-7.
Wrensch, a senior, will compete in two individual events and a relay at this weekend's Division III Championship. She enters the meet seeded third in the long jump and 10th in the 400-meter run. Wrensch will also run with teammates Alexandra Demco, Lindsay Denu and Taylor Pralle on a 1,600-meter relay team that is seeded 15th.
Wrensch earned her trip to Ohio with season-best and winning performances of 19-4 1/4 in the long jump and 56.19 seconds in the 400-meter run at the WIAC Championship.
Wrensch, who finished third with a measurement of 18-11 3/4 in the long jump at this year's Division III Indoor Championship, is competing in the long jump at outdoor nationals for the second time and in the 400-meter run for the first. She placed 21st with a distance of 17-7 1/2 in the long jump at last year's Division III Outdoor Championship.
UW-Oshkosh, ranked 20th nationally by the USTFCCCA, and its seven other WIAC partners combined for 50 All-Midwest Region selections, including 19 from UW-La Crosse and 13 from UW-Eau Claire.
Favor Ezewuzie from Wheaton College (Ill.) and Erica Oawster from UW-Eau Claire were named the Midwest Region's Track and Field Athlete of the Year, respectively. Jeff Stiles from Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) was chosen as the Midwest Region's Coach of the Year.